Knicks Trade Rumors: Five Reasons To Trade For Jae Crowder

5. Affordable Contract

The New York Knicks have invested heavily in starting-caliber players under the Phil Jackson regime. Joakim Noah signed a four-year contract worth $72 million and Courtney Lee received a four-year deal worth roughly $48 million.

By trading for Jae Crowder, the New York Knicks would make a cost-efficient move for a player who can undoubtedly start for a postseason-caliber team.

In 2017-18, Crowder will enter the third season of a five-year deal worth $35 million. He’s due to receive $6,796,117 in 2017-18, which is well below what his market value would have been had he become a free agent this coming summer.

Crowder is also due affordable salaries of $7,305,825 in 2018-19, and $7,815,533 in 2019-20, thus making his deal the very definition of a bargain contract.

New York would need to make salaries line up in order to execute a Crowder-for-Anthony trade, but that would likely include expiring contracts or cash. Even if New York were to take on other deals, it would have a starter with an easily affordable salary.

For a Knicks team that often spends more than it should, dealing for Crowder would be a rare example of business savvy on the front office’s behalf.